Baseball Weekly Release

Earn First Ever Trip to Big Four Championship

Brian Randazzo

The Bulls picked up their first opening round win in Big Four Classic play as they defeated St. Bonaventure, 14-5 to reach the championship game for the first time in school history. The Bulls took a 6-0 with a five-run third inning. Brian Randazzo had a three-RBI double to pace the scoring. Chris Ciesla and Rob Lawler added RBIs in the fourth inning. In two innings of work, reliever Dan Francis recorded his second win on the mound, striking out three batters along his way to the victory. The Bulls pitching staff held the Bonnies to seven hits. As a team, the Bulls set a season-high seven doubles.

On Wednesday evening, the Bulls fell to Canisius 6-2 in the championship contest. UB scored its two runs in the first inning as Charlie Karstedt and Kevin McCall had RBI-base hits. Canisius answered for five runs in the next three innings to take the Big Four Classic title.

Bulls Take Two Over #23 Kent State, Win Series 2-1

Chris Ciesla

For the first time in program history, the Bulls hosted a nationally-ranked team at the Amherst Audubon Field as UB opened a three-game series against Kent State, ranked 23rd by Baseball America.

The opener came down to the eighth inning as the Bulls managed to rally for four runs to grab a 15-14 victory. Trailing 5-0 in the fourth inning, the Bulls erased the Golden Flashes’ lead with seven runs off eight straight hits. Brad Cochrane started the Bulls off with a solo shot off the left-field pole to put the Bulls on the board. Adam Skonieczki smashed an RBI triple off the left-center wall and scored on a throwing error to third. Karstedt and Lawler added RBI singles to tie the game at 5-5. The Bulls grabbed a 7-5 lead when Randazzo ripped a two-RBI single through the right side. The Golden Flashes erupted for a seven-run inning of their own in top of the seventh. With Kent State in the lead 14-11, the Bulls rallied for the victory in the bottom of the eighth. The Bulls tied the game at 14-14 as Skonieczki reached on a fielder’s choice as the Kent State force out attempt at second went into center field, scoring Devin Greeno and River McWilliams. With pinch hitter Eric Flynn occupying third, Agustin sent a shot to the mound, allowing Flynn to race home for the eventual game-winning run.

Mike Stangroom

On Saturday, the Bulls captured their second win with a 10-6 decision. With the victory, the Bulls tied the mark for most wins in a season (19) since the program’s reinstatement in 2000. Trailing 3-1 in the bottom of the fourth, the Bulls erased the Golden Flashes’ lead as Skonieczki slid a three-RBI double down the left field line, clearing the bases. The Bulls added two runs in three of the next four innings as relief pitchers Jesse Reinstein and Kevin Crumb shut the door on Kent State in the final four innings. Starter Mike Stangroom collected the win for the Bulls in five innings of work, striking out three.

The Bulls were unable to complete their first sweep of a conference opponent since 2005 as they fell, 16-8, in the series finale on Sunday. The Bulls erupted for three runs to take the lead in the bottom of the third however, the Golden Flashes put up six runs in the top of the fourth to grab the lead, 6-4. UB took a 7-6 lead in the fourth after McWilliams crushed the ball to deep right center for his first career home run and all-time single-season run scorer Skonieczki scored on a wild pitch. After KSU tied the game at 7-7, McWilliams scored on KSU’s third wild pitch of the game to take an 8-7 lead. In the remaining four innings, the Golden Flashes scored nine-unanswered runs to capture their first win of the series.

Adam Skonieczki

Breaking Individual and Team Records

With five games remaining in the regular season, the Bulls have shattered their all-time season records for most hits (495), doubles (109), runs (363), RBIs (325) and total bases (718). In individual records, Skonieczki has been crowned the Bulls’ all-time single-season run scorer (47) by breaking the previous record of 44 set in 1980 by Pat Raimondo.

On Deck: Bonnies and Bowling Green

This week, the Bulls will take on St. Bonaventure in a mid-week doubleheader on Tuesday, May 5 with the first pitch set for 3:00 pm. The Bulls currently lead the season series, 2-1. Game one of the doubleheader will be televised on TWCS-Buffalo Channel 13 in the Western New York area. The game will air on Wednesday, May 6 at 7:00 pm and Thursday, May 7 and Friday, May 8 at 8:00 pm. On May 8-10, the Bulls will play their final home games in a conference weekend series versus Bowling Green as Sunday afternoon’s contest will feature Senior Day with eight Bulls hitting the field for the last time at the Amherst Audubon Field.